Cutting Edge Fencing Head Coach David Howes and women’s epee fencer Leonora MacKinnon recently represented Canada at the 2015 Pan-American Games in Toronto. Howes is the national coach for the women’s epee team and MacKinnon competed in both the individual and team events at the Games. MacKinnon had a slow start in the first round, but recovered to qualify for the direct elimination rounds. She fenced well, but came up just short, losing 14-12 to the eventual gold medallist from the USA. The women’s epee team had a tough quarterfinal opponent in Cuba and lost their first match. They recovered nicely to win their last two matches against Columbia and the Dominican Republic to finish the day in 5th place.

A number of athletes from Cutting Edge Fencing narrowly missed medals this past weekend at the 2014 Canadian National Championships in Toronto. Danielle Burghgraef was one win short of the medals in both cadet and junior women’s sabre, finishing 8th in both events. Zaq Quinsey was undefeated until the quarterfinals of the U-15 men’s épée event, where he finished 5th. Michael Mussari also came up just short, finishing 7th in Junior men’s épée and 10th in cadet after losing a tough match by a score of 15-14.

Danielle Burghgraef won the bronze in cadet women’s sabre at the 2014 Eastern Canadian Fencing Championships in Mississauga last weekend. She also earned a top 8 result in the junior event, finishing 7th. Bill Mason brought home the gold from the veterans 60+ men’s sabre event.

A number of athletes earned top 8 results including David Eliot in both cadet and junior men’s épée, Matthias Leuprecht in cadet and junior men’s sabre, and Michael Mussari in cadet men’s épée.